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P-pod for dry camping? |
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Tars Tarkas 
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Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1446 |
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 Topic: P-pod for dry camping?Posted: 31 Jan 2021 at 10:35am |
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I love Big Bend! But you're getting a lot of advice from experienced people about towing with a heftier vehicle. It's good advice in my opinion. You're right on the line with a 3500 lb towing capacity. You really don't want to be on the line. It's your safety and you peace of mind while towing that are on that line. And Pods are great, but I also agree with the idea of why by a trailer with air conditioning, a microwave, a flush toilet, if you don't want that stuff?! There are other good trailers out there without those things that you might be able to buy new for the same amount as a used Pod with them. TT
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2010 176
FJ Cruiser |
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MarkW
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Joined: 25 Jan 2021 Location: Michigan Online Status: Offline Posts: 54 |
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Posted: 31 Jan 2021 at 10:37am |
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Does it really make sense to buy a trailer with electrical appliances and plumbing and then not use them?
It makes sense only because the one we're looking it is used and appears to be a bit below market. If we were buying new, I'd order w/o AC or microwave. The same dealer with the 179 on the lot is also a GulfStream dealer. Something like this would also fit our needs: If we ordered without the AC, microwave and awning that we don't want, that should knock off another couple of thousand. If the 179 doesn't work out, we might go that way. Although I'm a little allergic to a brand new TT (lots of folks seem to have niggling problems in the first couple years that require return visits to the dealer and it sounds like often the warranty work is really slow). |
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Dirt Sifter
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Joined: 30 Dec 2018 Location: Right side OR Online Status: Offline Posts: 170 |
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Posted: 31 Jan 2021 at 10:59am |
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I believe pedwards info is spot on for consideration in response to the OP's questions. The OP knows his equipment and has experience towing with his vehicles. I am more concerned with the frontal drag effect of the rpod vs a sailboat than I am the weight. Having towed our 179 in a strong head wind and becoming a safety hazard on the hwy when I couldn't maintain 55 mph once with a tow vehicle rated to tow substantially more weight, it is a real item to ponder. If he wants to adjust his travel plans and speed to fit his available equipment, he can do so knowingly. His questions are about his mod's. My $0.02 |
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Greg n Deb 2020 195 HRE
'07 Tundra 5.7L., '17 Tacoma 3.5L. Both with tow packages 1 Puggle, 1 Chihuahua support staff |
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MarkW
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Joined: 25 Jan 2021 Location: Michigan Online Status: Offline Posts: 54 |
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Posted: 31 Jan 2021 at 11:02am |
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There are other good trailers out there without those things that you might be able to buy new for the same amount as a used Pod with them.
For ~11K? With an equal or lower weight? And with the same kind of interior accommodations? I'm all ears  We have friends with one of these: Beautiful and lightweight. And 3-4x the price of a used pod  |
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Tars Tarkas
Senior Member
Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1446 |
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Posted: 31 Jan 2021 at 12:43pm |
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You seem determined to go ahead, so go ahead. Sounds like you have a good deal and your plan is doable, little doubt. For safety and enjoyment, there are probably better options. I know people ask questions like yours hoping to get a lot of positive reinforcement. It might be worth paying attention when that's not what you get. TT
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2010 176
FJ Cruiser |
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
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Posted: 31 Jan 2021 at 12:49pm |
My sticker empty weight was low by about 250 lbs even after accounting for all the options, water, batteries etc. I doubt my trailer was ever actually weighed by FR as the sticker weight was spot on to the pound to the published specs. Perhaps FR does better now than in 2015. As far as towing a 179 or equivalent trailer with a 3500 lb tow vehicle is concerned, sadly, this question comes up all the time on the forum. He did ask for general comments beyond the mods question. It wouldn’t have stopped me or others here from warning him anyway, most folks here would recommend strongly against it, especially when boon docking. MarkW has not yet purchased his trailer so it is still possible for him to avoid the unfortunately very common mistake of too much trailer combined with too little tow vehicle. He can of course proceed to do what he wants, within legal limits. |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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jato
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3216 |
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Posted: 31 Jan 2021 at 12:57pm |
+1 !!!! This was an item I forgot to mention in my first post Mark and is of utmost importance. The "frontal drag" effect is a huge item to consider. Whereas you could haul a sailboat or pop-up camper with weights that may come close or even surpass that of the rpod, frontal drag effect will be deal breaker in my mind once you start cruising at 45 + down the highway. You will definitely 'feel' the difference and may want to re-consider a vehicle that is more stout in its towing ability.
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God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
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MarkW
Groupie
Joined: 25 Jan 2021 Location: Michigan Online Status: Offline Posts: 54 |
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Posted: 31 Jan 2021 at 1:47pm |
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As far as towing a 179 or equivalent trailer with a 3500 lb tow vehicle is concerned, sadly, this question comes up all the time on the forum. He did ask for general comments beyond the mods question. It wouldn’t have stopped me or others here from warning him anyway...
Your own TV (a 2012 Highlander) has almost exactly the same HP (270), curb weight (3900#), and wheelbase as our 2020 Outback (vehicles do keep growing don't they)? The OB is also a turbo, so more power at altitude. My wife's Sienna, on the other hand, is more powerful still, weights another 400# and has 10 more inches of wheelbase (always a benefit when towing). Neither vehicle is going to be overpowered or pushed around if a 2012 Highlander isn't. Before we make a deal on the 179, I'll get the dealer to put it on a scale. If it's hundreds over the sticker, we'll pass. But if it's close then I think we'd be able to stay right around 3000-3100# loaded given how we want to use it (just the two of us, single battery, single propane tank, empty water tanks). The travel trailer we really want doesn't actually exist -- roomy and comfortable with heat but otherwise spartan with no AC, no plumbing, and maybe even a really well-insulated icebox instead of a fridge. Oh, and not too pricey (I don't really want to spend $40K -- we just aren't going to use it THAT much). I briefly pondered building one but quickly decided there wasn't any way I could make it worthwhile compared to buying used and modding. But we've probably beaten this one to death -- here's another question. Any experience with the Curt wireless brake controller? I was planning on going that route to avoid having to install and to be able to move between tow vehicles.
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
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Posted: 31 Jan 2021 at 4:02pm |
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My Highlander weighs 4500 lbs and is rated for 5000 lbs towing and a 500 lb tongue weight. We aren’t the vehicle design engineers so can’t know why one is rated 1500 lbs less than the other, but I’m sure there is s good reason, no one deliberately specs their products lower than they need to be.
Toyota also allows the use of a weight distribution hitch in the Highlander, which I find to be necessary for decent ride and handling. Don’t know if they allow one in the Sienna. I’m pretty sure Subaru doesn’t allow them. I too am not worried about horsepower. I used to drive around in an old VW bus, anything has a better power to weight ratio than that. Towing a travel trailer isn’t a race. If you are within all your weight specs then have at it, tow away. 👍 But you should weigh it and your TV fully loaded, you won’t be able to tell what you have otherwise. We had a discussion on the forum about the Curt bluetooth controller you can use the search feature for. The upshot was that it worked fine. The negative was that some of us, myself included, did not want the manual trailer brake override on a smartphone where it might not be instantly accessible in an emergency. In a trailer sway situation immediate application of trailer brakes without hitting the TV brakes can save you from having a wreck. |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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wthoms2000
Groupie
Joined: 06 May 2017 Location: Costa Mesa, CA Online Status: Offline Posts: 44 |
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Posted: 31 Jan 2021 at 11:45pm |
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We're particularly interested in boon-docking and primitive campgrounds -- I doubt we'll ever stay where we have an electric hookup (we really like it quiet and, as longtime tent campers, don't mind roughing it)
Plus one on primitive campgrounds vs. RV campgrounds packed in tight spaces. The only bummer is the guys that run generators all day in the primitive camps to run their AC and TVs all day... Enjoy! |
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Porta Poddy
Wil and Luz, Orange County, CA 2017.5 179 HRE 2021 Ranger XLT FX4 REDARC Brake Controller |
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